There might be no need to introduce Rey Cabrera, but did you know that Rey was born in the mountains surrounding Santiago de Cuba, where he grew up with his brothers and sisters in a musical family? Rey inherited the love of “musica campesina” from his father. As a young boy, Rey masters the Cuban guitar, the “tres”, 2x3 strings, and he sings all traditional Cuban songs like no other. Rey logically left for the city, going to Santiago in the pursuit of a professional musical career. He teams up with Eliades Ochoa, Maria Ochoa and Benito Suarez to form the “Trinchera Agraria”-band. They play every night on radio “Se Me Case” and gain a celebrity status in Oriente. After a while, they each go their own way: Eliades with his Cuarteto Patria and later on with the Buena Vista Social Club, Benito becoming Compay Segundo’s guitar player, Rey joining the Vieja Trova Santiaguero, but later on creating the Trio Oriente a.o. Maria Ochoa then asks him to become her “tresero”, working together for more than 20 years from that day. “Maria Ochoa y Corazon de Son” is their first international tour in 2000. They play on the biggest stages, also coming to Belgium where Rey meets his true love. Rey lives in the heart of Brussels since 2003. He leaves his beautiful island behind, but not without bringing his musical knowledge and his “tres”. He meets Cuban musicians and starts his own band “Rey Cabrera y sus Amigos”. He writes his own songs, among which his ode to Brussels “Canto A Bruselas”. Modestly playing at Belgian festivals like Couleur Café 2005, Gentse Feesten, as a guest on 0110 and also in Holland at Carnaval Rotterdam 2006, Nijmegen, Vondelpark Amsterdam, … Rey is determined to let the world hear his beautiful melodies, to delight and let his audience enjoy his music, he wants to be a messenger of color and warmth. In 2006 he’s invited to use Coco Jr.’s studios in cooperation with AMC-RECORDS and BIS-ART, where he records 16 songs with his musicians. Rey invites 3 guest stars: Eva Griñan, great Trova-lady along with her guitar player Gabino Jardines and Alexis Rojas, his old Corazon de Son-companion. Rey’s first full-cd “COLOR CUBA” will be out in March at all record stores. Simplicity, modesty, honor this grandmaster. Rey has an elaborate knowledge of his music. He is “el maestro del tres”, the Ambassador of traditional Cuban music!